When Davros came to, he was lying on a bedroll beside the campfire. He could hear Valka and Anya arguing. Based upon what he heard, he must have been unconscious only a short while.
“We cannot stay here. If he doesn’t wake soon we can construct a litter from the tent poles and the skins off the tent.” He heard Anya say.
“What I don’t understand is how we take our eyes off him for one minute and in the next he has a whole level of Corruption tearing him apart! I knew we should have looked for the damned bracelet!”
“What’s done is done, Valka. I only have one Soothe spell and it’s on cooldown now for the next three days. We finish the dungeon and get to Bruhle. We can get him more help there.”
“If we finish the dungeon and if we can get him to Bruhle. Is it even worth continuing at this point?”
I opened my eyes and angled my head. Valka and Anya were standing in front of the Hexblighter’s tent arguing. Igvild sat across the fire staring at me. The dwarf wore an expression I had never seen him wear before. It was…serious. Introspective was a word I had learned in passing while in the Orphanage when Madame Fevre had been describing someone she didn’t like. It meant, I was lead to believe, a person who was thinking something they aught not to be thinking, but were. Igvild saw me looking at him and put a finger to his lips.
“Don’t talk, just listen,” he said quietly. “I slipped a ring onto the pinky finger of your left hand. No, don’t lift your hand to look. Keep still. Open yer Status.”
I did as Igvild asked.
Name: Davros
Class: Pyromancer
Level: 1(3 Pending)
Will-5>6
Focus-*1 (Curse of Ashgurn)
Speed-2
Force-2
Presence-1
Fortune-11
Active Spells (2 of 3)
Fire Bolt {Upgrade Available}
Wrath Shield
Inactive Spells
Hypnotic Flame
Special Abilities
Imbolc’s Breath
Imbolc’s Traits
Born of Fire
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General Traits
Dual Casting
Gear Bonuses
Ring of Sedation (-2 to Corruption Levels)
I stared at the new section, Gear Bonuses, that had appeared. A magic ring that subtracted Corruption levels? Whatever that was. I willed the window away and looked back at Igvild. He must have seen the questions I had in my gaze. A smile flickered across his face for the briefest moment.
“Keep it to yerself. Don’t tell ‘em. The ring is clear crystal so they won’t notice it unless ye wave it under their noses, ye ken?”
I nodded and he chuckled.
“Oy, he’s awake!”
The Lieutenants both rushed over at Igvild’s announcement. Valka had a hand on his sword, but Anya knelt beside him and offered him a drink from a water skin.
“Davros, how do you feel?”
“I’m feeling pretty good, actually.” I answered truthfully. “What happened to me?”
“Corruption is what happened, you bentfaced git! There’s a reason Awakened like you wear Manastop bracelets and the Temple throws level locks on you as soon as they can!” For once, Anya didn’t leap to his defense. I looked into her eyes and I saw concern, but also something new. Fear.
“What is Corruption?” I asked quietly.
“It is the reason the Age of Heroes ended and there are so few Awakened now in the world,” Anya began. She reached out a hand and helped me to my feet. “It is also why a world that was once abundant with magic and beauty was renamed the Withered Lands.”
“It’s a poison that affects people, animal, plants and even Dungeons and monsters.” Valka added, looking me over from top to bottom. “It causes the Mana inside you to go out of control. Demonic influences trying to use your Mana Core to open a portal to our world and run rampant!” My eyes widened.
“Demons are real?” Igvild barked out a laugh, while Valka yanked on a mustache.
“All too real,” Anya continued in a quiet voice. “With each level of Corruption, the Wrath energy grows stronger and stronger until it takes total control of your Mana Core.”
“But you helped me. You used some magic?” I asked Anya. She nodded.
“My Class, Combat Medic, has a single Soothe spell I can use once every few days. It forcibly lowers a person’s Corruption level by 1, but only temporarily. There are other Classes with stronger Soothe magic that can permanently remove Corruption, but for that we need to get to Bruhle before my spell wears off.”
“What happens if we don’t get to Bruhle before it wears off?” I dared to ask.
“Then you become a liability we cannot afford,” Valka growled. “You may feel fine now, but I can assure you that higher levels of Corruption you will not be able to brush aside.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and felt myself start to sweat. Corruption. Demons! Being an Awakened now seemed more of a curse than anything. Would Valka kill me if it happened again? I felt the ring Igvild had given me on my pinky. The dwarf had said not to tell them about it. Why? Would’t the ring set their minds at ease that I had more wiggle room than they realized?
“Davros, Corruption usually first occurs when someone is feeling overwhelmed, stressed or in mortal danger. What was going through your mind while the rest of us were in the tent over there?” Anya asked.
“I was thinking about the Dungeon. I was thinking about the Goblins and how I…how I wanted to kill them all. How I wanted to defeat the Dungeon boss all on my own.”
“You really are a moron, aren’t you?” Valka sighed, taking his hand off his sword and walking away. Igvild started chuckling again until it turned into full throated laughter. Even Anya laughed a little before her face turned serious.”
“So it was a desire for power then? Be careful, Davros. That is one of the ways we are taught that demons will try to wiggle their way into an Awakened’s heart. Promises of overwhelming power and invincibility. I can assure you, the Boss of this dungeon is nothing you or any of us could solo.”
“Yes, you’re right of course. I don’t even know why I was thinking those thoughts,” I answered, my sorrowful attitude genuine.
“Because you’re an idiot!” Valka called over his shoulder. Anya sighed and patted me on my shoulder.
“We were thinking about turning around, but it’s clear you’re okay, at least for now. We should be able to finish the dungeon and get to Bruhle with time to spare if we keep going. Besides,” she added with a twinkle in her eye. “What was in that chest was more than enough to inspire us to keep going. I can’t even begin to imagine what the Boss is going to drop!” Anya grinned and followed Valka towards the path which led out of the clearing.
I sighed and turned to Igvild who wore a smirk.
“Human greed. Never doubt it fer a second, lad.”
“Thank you for the ring, Igvild.” The dwarf winced and rubbed his nose.
“I’ll be needin’ it back eventually lad, but for now it’ll be enough ta git ya to a proper healer.” The dwarf hurried along the path and with one last look around the clearing, I followed.
